Imperial Culture
Imperial Culture or Modern Macandrio-Galdienese Culture is the most prominent and widespread culture in the Empire. It is also influenced by the cultures that the Empire has taken over and to a lesser extent those that neighbor it. Rule Macandria is officially ruled over by The Senate and the Emperor, but the Noble Houses hold considerable defacto power. It is also officially a traditional monarchy, but through adult adoption the emperor often handpicks his successor, and because the emperor has direct command of soldiers, spies, and assassins he often controls the senate through intimidation, blackmail, and murder. This would make him an autocrat if it weren't for the fact that the vast majority of the economy is controlled by the Noble Houses which have representatives in The Senate, The Military, The Governorships, and The Imperial Palace. Law The Senate makes the law, and the emperor enforces it. He does so through the Imperial Legion, his governors, and through the Office of Justice which handles trials, issues warrants, and interperts the law. Trials themselves are overseen by a tribunal of three magistrates within the Office of Justice. Until ME223, there were no appeals, but after corruption among certain magistrates that sent dozens of innocent men to their deaths was uncovered, The Senate legalized a single appeal for a convicted person, which would grant them a new trial before a new tribunal. Private legal consultants are widespread, but they cost money. Also see: Imperial Law '' Economy Small shops, inns, workshops, small farms, gardens, and residences are all the property of private families and individual citizens. Larger economic operations such as plantation farming and husbandry, mining, fishing, theatre, league sports, banks, marketplaces, and timber to name a few are under the control of various oligopolistic companies run by the Noble Houses. Entrepreneurs wishing to expand their own businesses are legally obligated to either partner or merge with these companies, sharing with them a sizeable portion of their profits, and following their regulations. Non-noble guild of craftsmen counterbalance some of the power of the companies, interacting with Senate and Imperial Throne to gain legal rights for their members--the majority of the empire's skilled workforce. These same Houses also have enormous infuence within The Senate and outlaw any large commercial and industrial operations not affiliated with them. That said, many of these operations do exist outside of the law--these are the smuggling syndicates. ''See Lacrima and The Black Legion Currency See The Currency of Macandria Socio-Economic Classes There are three major class divisions in Imperial Culture: The Lower (or Working) Class, Middle Class, and Upper Class. Most Imperial citizens and freedmen belong to the lower class--laborers, craftsmen, shopkeepers, servants, farmers, ranchers, watchmen, teachers. The middle class is made up of men and women who have made enough wealth to escape the lower class whether through the marketing of a specialized skill (engineers, doctors, artists, lawyers), the owner of a successful business that has merged with a Noble House company (partner), or business managers and politicians who have purchased or married into low-level nobility (Eques). The upper class is made up of higher nobles, a few of which were once commoners who climbed their way towards the top of society. Gender Macandrian women are amongst the most free in the world. They are forbidden from joining the military and from becoming a senator or emperor, but they otherwise enjoy many of the freedoms men do. However, these freedoms are fairly recent. Society, especially the more traditional and conservative within it, shun females in positions of power. Many women themselves believe that it is their religious or moral duty to stop pursuing a career once they marry. Conversely, men who attempt to take on traditionally female roles (e.g. domestic work, dancing, weaving, sewing) are shunned as effeminate and are likely to have trouble finding wives in mainstream society. Family The majority of Macandrians live near (usually in the same neighborhood or village) as their extended family. The oldest male and oldest female in the family are its leaders, and are often sought after for advice and guidance. Loyalty to family and obedience to one's elders are considered central virtues of Macandrian society. That said, there exist countless cases of young individuals breaking apart from their families--some to take advantage of financial oppurtunities which will benefit their families back home, and some to seek their own fortunes independently. Marriage Outside of nobility, most individuals do choose their spouses. However, a spouse must be approved the parents of both of the betrothed. This approval is considered necessary in order for a marriage to be considered socially valid, but it is not a necessity in all religious institutions, but, the Imperial Temple and most Orthodox temples will not marry a couple whose parents disapprove. Once approval is granted, feasts are prepared, a garden is chosen, entertainers are hired, and guests are invited. The bride dawns jewelery, elegant clothing, make-up, and perfumes. The groom also wears lavish clothing and perfume. Before a cleric, they exchange vows and rings, kiss, and then partake in the party that ensues. When the festivities come to a close, the new couple is given some privacy for the night. Finally, the next day, the bride's family accepts the groom into it, and the couple can now call themselves husband and wife. In mainstream society, marriage can only occur between a man and woman, primarily because within Macandrian society the main goal of marriage is to produce offspring for the family. The conditions under which divorces can occur varies depending on which religious authority married the couple. In the Imperial Temple, divorce can only occur if either party is infertile or if either party commits extreme violence on the other. Sex Because of the avaliability of effective herbal birth control and the invention of the condom, relatively safe sex is common in the Empire among the wealthy and middle classes. Among various impoverished communities, however, sexually-transmitted disease and unwanted pregnancy are problems. Premarital sex is not frowned upon, but excessive promiscuity is, and once within marraige, which is expected to be a monogamous commitment, adultery is taboo. Yet it is not uncommon for men and women to engage in extramarital affairs. When discovered, however, these are not taken lightly. Adultery is seen as a betrayal and, if the couple is legally married, is grounds for divorce and, possibly, fines, public humiliation, or even enslavement. Men across Macandrio-Galdienese lands are free to engage in homosexuality without stigma. However in Province Macander (and a few locations in Province Galdiens) they being the receptive partner is equated with being effeminate and submissive, and sexual relationships between free citizens is considered taboo in these regions. Throughout most of Province Galdiens, homosexual activity is tolerated with the exception of relations between soldiers. On the subject of female homosexual activity: it is generally considered taboo in Province Macander and tolerated in Province Galdiens so long as women are not exclusively homosexual. Clothing Men Among men of all socio-economic classes the tunic secured by a belt is worn. Usually it is knee-length, sleeveless, and loose-fitting, secured with a belt of leather of rope around the waist. Short-sleeve tunics are common too. In northern cities, long-sleeve tunics are not uncommon, but these tend to be more form-fitting and are worn under more typical tunics. The material from which these are made, however, differs depending on class. The poor tend to wear tunics made of coarse wool, while the more wealthy prefer those made of fine wool or linen. Some aristocrats even wear tunics made of silk and cotton. It is also common, especially in colder climates, to wear a loose cloak of some sort above the tunic. Some members of the middle class and the upper class also wear togas to public or formal events. In western Galdiens (near Pono), men of the working class wear skirts and go shirtless quite often. Underneath tunics and skirts, men of all classes typically wear underwear--a loincloth or shorts. Concerning footwear, boot-sandals are the most common, but in western Galdiens going barefoot is also not unusual. Close-toed boots are also popular. Women Women occaisionally wear a tunic very similar to a man's tunic, but these are more form-fitting, and ornamented with more feminine embellishments. The more popular option is the more traditional stola--a dress which extends down below the knee (usually to the ankle), and is secured by brooches at at least one of the shoulders. The material, color, and patterns of the tunic or stola depend on the woman's wealth and taste. Another commonly-used garment worn by women is the peplos. It is a sleevless dress that exposes the side of one leg and it belted near the navel. Underneath their outerwear women wear usually wear undertunics (form-hugging thigh-length garments made from thin cloth) if anything, but breastcloths or the more expensive soft leather bras, combined with loincloths or shorts, are not unpopular. Footwear is nearly identical to that of men--the main difference being the size and shapes of the shoes. Thuric Influence Thuric fashions are popular amongst the Macandrio-Galdienese living in Thur, and also throughout Province Macander and Province Draconia. Architecture Macandrian architecture relies heavily on bricks (mud and stone) and concrete for most buildings. The more prestigious buildings use marble heavily. Buildings in the countryside use mainly wood and mud bricks. Cuisine The Macandrio-Galdienese typically eat three or four meals a day--a small breakfast, a smaller lunch, and a big dinner. Breakfast and dinner are usually eaten at home, even in homes without kitchens where hot food is prepared in nearby public kitchens and brought into the home to be eaten. Lunch is usually eaten in a tavern, taberna, restaraunt, or on the streets. The following list provides an example of what might be eaten during a given meal and by a given class. Breakfast Lower Class *A piece or two of wheat bread dipped in a cup of cheap wine. Middle Class *A slice of wheat bread with goat's cheese, a handful of pistachio nuts, a cup of goat's milk Upper Class *Two boiled eggs, a handful of tree nuts with honey, a cup of imported coffee Lunch Lower Class *A bowl of barley porridge. Middle Class *A bowl of beef stew flavored with fish sauce, a bottle of ale. Upper Class *Blackberries in cream, a slice of wheat bread with marmalade, a glass of fine spiced wine Dinner Lower Class *Appetizer: Chickpeas *Main Course: Salted cod fish *Dessert: none *Beverage: Cheap Wine Middle Class *Appetizer: A platter of sliced cheddar cheese *Main Course: Roasted duck flavored with salt and pepper *Dessert: Oranges *Beverage: Quality Wine Upper Class *Appetizer: Raw Oysters *Main Course: A selection of roasted and grilled meats--pheasant, goose, pork, beef, venison. *Dessert: Honey and elderberry pie *Beverage: Cherry Brandy, Imported Green Tea Foreign Influence Cuisines from other parts of the empire, and many from beyond its borders, are popular throughout it. Education Education is widespread within urban populations. Only the poorest city-dwellers lack literacy because elementary education, while not public, is highly affordable. Children go to school for about an hour a day, usually beginning at six or seven years old and graduating at twelve or thirteen, having learned a degree of reading, writing, and arithematic. From there they usually become an apprentice or intern of some sort. Many unskilled laborers are actually not freedmen, but rather youth who graduated elementary school and ran into misfortune. Higher education is monopolized by the state in the form of The Imperial University. For the most part only the rich and a select few who are granted scholarships (e.g. mages, noticed artists and inventors) are enrolled due to its high tuition. Hygiene Macandrians bathe daily, usually after a day's work and before dinner. This is done publicly within gender-segreated bathhouses. The use of soap and olive oil in scrubbing away filth is common. The rich usually have baths in their houses, but these are not in private rooms. Rather there is a household bath used by family members and respected guests alike. Entertainment Entertainment has far fewer class divisions than other aspects of Imperial culture. Both rich and poor in cities attend plays and watch professional sports in amphitheatres, witness gladiators fight in arenas, play board games in parks and plazas, drink with friends and listen to music in taverns. Taverns Taverns are places to get a meal and a drink. They also tend to include a stage where bards, comedians, dancers, and jugglers (respectively) recite tales, tell jokes, perform choreographed routines, and juggle. They also include a seperate stage where musicians play from mid-afternoon to late at night. Card games and board games are, if not provided, still very common. Some taverns are also gathering places for prostitutes and courtesans looking for clients. Category:Browse Category:Lore Category:Social Science